


Half A Family

by His Dark Materials (Willowtreeleaves), Willowtreeleaves



Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:27:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25363108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowtreeleaves/pseuds/His%20Dark%20Materials, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowtreeleaves/pseuds/Willowtreeleaves
Summary: What if Lyra had never hidden in the Retiring Room? What would have happened then?
Relationships: Lord Asriel & Lyra Belacqua, Lyra Belacqua/Pantalaimon
Kudos: 10





	1. The Tokay

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fic so I will be greatful for any criticism.  
> This chapter is mainly the same as in the book/TV series but slightly changed and I thought I'd put it in to show what Lyra thinks about Lord Asriel among other things.

"Lyra, it's your uncle," whispered Pantalaimon.  
Lyra crept from her seat in the middle of the room to the window. Charles, her teacher, was occupied with the Heaven, Hell, Earth Venn Diagram on the board.  
Looking through the window, Lyra whispered back, "Finally now I'll get to go to the North with him."  
"Lyra, don't do anything stupid," Pan told her.  
"Alright I won't, I'll just wait for when I normally have to see him,"  
"Good," said Pan relieved, "we keep getting into trouble. If we carry on he definitely won't take us,"  
"I know Pan, I know. It's just he NEVER takes us."  
"Be patient" was all her daemon replied.  
"Lyra, what on earth are you doing!" a voice came from behind her.  
"Sorry Librarian, I just saw Lord Asriel," Lyra turned away from the window.  
"I know you are very interested in your uncle, Lyra. But it doesn't mean you should ignore your studies," Charles scolded.  
"Sorry, I can't help being curious though can I?" Lyra said as she slid into her seat.  
"I know. Now where were we? Ah yes. How does Heaven differ to Earth."

During this, the Master of Jordan gazed down upon the small courtyard between the Hall and the Melrose Quadrangle.  
"He's here. Asriel" his daemon Alicia ruffled her raven feathers.  
The Master glanced around the room with his hooded, clouded eyes.  
"It's time," insisted Alicia.  
"I know," the Master said heavily as he opened the draw of his desk. Taking an oil skin pouch from his desk, he drew out a folded piece of paper. He looked up to see where Lord Asriel had gone and slipped it in his robe. Before leaving he closed the lid of a golden instrument sitting on the top of his desk. 

The Master strode into the Retiring Room and Wren, the Butler appeared.  
"Has Lord Asriel settled in yet?" the Master asked.  
"Yes, I think, I presume he'll be along here soon," was the reply from the Butler.  
"Show him straight in here, will you?"  
"Very good, Master. Excuse my asking, but doesn't he normally go to the Senior Common Room to have tea with Lyra?"  
"Normally yes but he has some relics to show us today," the Master replied, "Have you decanted some of the special Tokay for him?"  
"Yes, Master. The 1898, as you ordered. His Lordship is very partial to that, I remember."  
"Good. Now leave me please."  
"Yes, Master." Wren bowed before leaving the room.  
The Master made sure he had gone before turning to the Tokay sitting on the table. Tokay was a special, golden wine which was very expensive but had beautiful flavour.  
Taking the folded paper from his robe, the Master took out the stopper of the crystal flask.  
"Do it," his daemon saw him hesitate. "Now."  
The Master sighed, he hoped he wouldn't regret this later on. His hand shaking, he poured the powder that had been enclosed in the paper into the Tokay. He slammed the stopper back on the top. He couldn't believe what he was doing. Hearing footsteps on the corridor, he quickly shook it and replaced the flask, before leaving the way he had come.

Lord Asriel entered the Retiring Room almost immediately after the Master left. Setting down the only box he carried, he turned his head slightly at the sound of footsteps. The Butler approached him.  
"The Master decanted it especially for you my Lord," said Wren, waving his hand at the flask of Tokay  
"Wren, I wasn't expecting to he disturbed," Asriel replied through gritted teeth.  
"There are only three dozen bottles left of the '98," Wren's voice was hopeful.  
"All good things pass away," Lord Asriel was beginning to get annoyed.  
Stelmaria, Lord Asriel's daemon- the form of a snow leopard no less- growled at the Butler.  
"Uh, my Lord," Wren hurried away.  
Asriel reached the table and unstoppered the Tokay. Wren had been right in saying he was partial to it when talking to the Master. He loved a glass of the golden liquor. The only problem now was it was hard to come by. He breathed in the scent in deeply before bringing the glass to his lips. He drank deeply and finished the glass quickly. He thought the taste was off but believing it to be no more than his senses different after his long airship ride, he thought nothing of it and stretched out in front of the fire.


	2. Poisoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyra is told devastating news by the Master.

The Scholars entered the Retiring Room, chatting like normal. At the head of the small group was the Palmerian Professor and the Sub-Rector. The pair were talking quietly until a sight met their eyes. They stopped short of something on the ground that the others couldn’t see.

“What is it?” the shaky voice of the Precentor asked.

In a quivering voice, the Palmerian Professor replied, “Lord Asriel. Dead, upon the floor.”

Gasps sounded around the room.

The Master stepped forward and the others moved aside to let him through.

His mind was whirling. The plan had worked. His plan. But now he had to think about Lyra. Innocent Lyra whom he had been tasked with protecting all those years ago. Unless he gave her to the one person forbidden to see her, he couldn’t see what her future would bring. Even the alethiometer hadn’t said.

“Master?”

The voice of the Palmerian Professor cut through his thoughts.

“Master, what are we going to do?”

He sighed heavily.

“Well the Magisterium must be informed and the other relevant authorities but from there on I’m afraid I don’t know, Professor.”

Lyra slid, giggling, down the roof of the Melrose Quadrangle, Roger right behind her.

“Saw my uncle earlier.”

“Did you? Did he say anything?” Roger was interested.

“No, I only saw him from my lessons, looked like he had something to show the Scholars.”

“Doesn’t he normally?” Roger asked.

“Well, I suppose so, but he doesn’t normally have a trail of Scholars following him before he goes to the Retiring Room,” Lyra replied.

Pantalaimon started to chase Salcilia and they stopped to watch.

“Do you ever wonder what Pan will settle as when he stops changing form?” Roger asked curiously.

“I think about it, Pan and I talk about it. Pan thinks he’ll be a lion.”

“I don’t,” her daemon interjected indignantly.

“I think he’ll settle as a sloth or a guinea pig,” Lyra continued as if Pan hadn’t interrupted.

“You said you wanted something cunning like a fox,” Pan said, accusingly.

“And you? What do you think Salcilia will settle as?” Lyra, again, ignored her daemon’s interruptions.

“Oh,” Roger hadn’t given it much thought, “A house cat or a house martin?”

In answer, Salcilia changed form into a house martin and looked up at him.

“Lyra, Lyra!” a call from below interrupted their conversation.

“Rats, it’s the Master. What does he want with me? I’ll have to go down. See you later, Roger!” and Lyra and her daemon were off like a whirlwind towards where they could climb down to the ground.

Thoughts swirled about in Lyra’s head. She’d done her lessons and everything she was supposed to do so why did the Master want her. She glanced at Pan, who of course, because of their connection, was having the same thoughts.

As she wasn’t looking where she was going, she almost barrelled into the Master. Out of breath from running, she looked up at the Master’s face, it bore an expression of sadness but also of guilt.

“You wanted to see me?” she panted.

“Yes… There has been… an accident. Your uncle… has died, I’m afraid,” the Master looked at the innocent face in front of him and inside, he crumbled. This poor girl. The only family she knew she had was now dead. She would be devastated.

Lyra stared at him, “Lord Asriel… is dead?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yes, I’m so sorry.”

Lyra shook her head. It couldn’t be true. She started to run. She didn’t know where. She just wanted to be alone, with Pan.

“Lyra!” the Master called after her in concern. There was no answer. She had already disappeared from sight.


End file.
